On August 25, Kyiv hosted the second National Prayer Breakfast of Ukraine. The event, which has already become part of the global tradition of “prayer gatherings,” brought together more than a thousand guests, including about 350 representatives from 50 countries. At the Mystetskyi Arsenal, spiritual leaders of different denominations, military personnel and families of fallen heroes, international partners, diplomats, politicians, and volunteers gathered side by side.
The breakfast concluded a global 24-hour prayer for Ukraine that began on August 24, Independence Day.
The event took place under the patronage of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who emphasized: “We know we are not alone. We are on the bright side of history. We are capable of stopping evil and achieving a just peace.”
Symbolically, high-level international representatives arrived in Kyiv, including U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy Keith Kellogg, Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, World Baptist Alliance Secretary General Elijah Brown, and representatives of American religious and political institutions. Kellogg’s presence was an important signal—both as a sign of political support for Ukraine and as a reminder of the role of spiritual diplomacy, which often opens doors where traditional diplomacy reaches dead ends. “I pray that God goes ahead of our diplomats and our leaders,”Kellogg said, stressing that diplomatic efforts must be reinforced by prayer and shared values.
Messages of support to Ukrainians also came from Pope Francis, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell. They all emphasized unity in prayer for peace, justice, and the protection of the Ukrainian people. “I join in prayer with all Ukrainians, imploring Almighty God to stop the war and grant Ukraine a just and lasting peace,” Pope Francis said in his message.
A powerful moment came during the joint prayer for abducted Ukrainian children. Hundreds of small lights were lit in the hall, while the names of children killed in the war appeared on the screen. The silence at that moment spoke louder than any speech.
Pavlo Unguryan, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the “Ukraine Rebuilding Alliance” and coordinator of prayer breakfasts, noted: “Such events are more than a symbol. They are a space of spiritual diplomacy that allows us to share the truth about Ukraine with world leaders, churches, and communities. It is important that today in Kyiv we prayed for the military, the prisoners, the families of the fallen, and for the children. This shows that the theme of peace and Ukraine’s renewal unites very different people.”
The history of prayer breakfasts began in the United States in 1953, when President Dwight Eisenhower and Senator Frank Carlson launched the tradition of an annual interfaith prayer in Washington. Since then, such gatherings have become a tool for dialogue among politicians, spiritual leaders, and civil society, spreading far beyond America. The fact that Kyiv has now become the venue for the largest prayer breakfast in Europe highlights Ukraine’s growing role not only in military and political dimensions but also in the spiritual dimension of global security.
“After the prayer, we went to the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. And if there were many people at the breakfast, here—there were none. These churches, so majestic, today stand completely empty. But we look to the future with hope—we believe the time will come when they will once again be filled with prayer and the living presence of believers,” emphasized Yuriy Maslov, Head of the Ukraine Rebuilding Alliance.
The Prayer Breakfast in Kyiv demonstrated several dimensions at once: the search for unity in faith, interfaith dialogue, international support, and the reminder that behind loud political statements always stand human lives. It was not only a “protocol event” but also an opportunity to say out loud once again what is most important today: Ukraine seeks peace.
